Text Formats: E-Readers

Digital text dates to the early development of computers. Following punch cards and before the advent of the graphical user interface, the text-based command line interface was the primary way to interact with computers. Electronic books, or ebooks, are then a natural extension of computerized text. By the 1990s, numerous formats of ebooks were in production and manufacturers were producing dedicated e-reader devices. The most popular e-reader today is Amazon’s Kindle, first introduced in 2007. Features that made the Kindle popular include the on-device keyboard, an electronic ink (e ink) screen that enabled long battery life, a cellular connection for downloading ebooks, and reduced prices for books sold by Amazon. Similar devices were made in the 2000s by Sony and Barnes & Noble. On display is a 1st generation Barnes & Noble Nook, released in 2009.